Differences in associations between HSD11B1 gene expression and metabolic parameters in subjects with and without impaired glucose homeostasis

Animal studies indicate a role for 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (HSD11B1) in the development of obesity. The association to glucose homeostasis is less clear. We investigated the relationship between HSD11B1 mRNA levels in adipose tissue and in skeletal muscle and anthropometric and metabolic measurements in humans with and without impaired glucose homeostasis.Twelve obese subjects with impaired glucose homeostasis (MetS+) and 12 obese controls (MetS-) received a Very Low Calorie Diet for 16 weeks and adipose tissue biopsies, blood samples and measurements were obtained. In a second cohort, skeletal muscle biopsies, blood samples and measurements were obtained from 18 subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and 17 subjects with normal glucose tolerance (NGT). Gene expression was measured by DNA microarray in both studies.HSD11B1 mRNA levels were reduced during diet, and anthropometric measurements and metabolic parameters were associated with HSD11B1 mRNA levels in the MetS- group. However, in the MetS+ group these associations were lost or in opposite direction. This difference was also observed in skeletal muscle between T2DM and NGT.HSD11B1 mRNA levels are associated with metabolic parameters and anthropometric measurements in subjects with normal glucose homeostasis but not in subjects with impaired glucose homeostasis.